Valve actuating system



3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTUR.

ATTORNEY r D., UcHAA/AN,

i 15 1945 J. D. BUCHANAN VALVE ACTUTING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. l5, 1942 Oct. 16, 1945. J. D. BUCHANAN 2,387,007

VALVE ACTUATING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 tf D. BUCAMAIAN,

' INVENTOR.

AT TOR/NIE Y Get. 16, 1945. J. D. BUCHANAN VALVE AGTUATING S YSTEM original Filed oct. 15, i942 5 sheets-sheet s ZZ 0. BUCHANAN,

IN VEN TOR.

Patented ct. i6, i945 assist? varas sername srsraar Original application October 13, 1942, Serial No. 461,859. Divided and this applicationharch 31, 1943, Serial No. 481,251

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10 Claims.

The invention relates to a valve, and particularly toas. unitary valve mechanism for controlling the operation of a pair of hydraulic pistons. It has heretofore been proposed .to employ a pair of hydraulic pistons for controlling the orientation and elevation of a certain driven mechanism, with a separate valve for each piston. Also, connections are provided for admitting uid under Ipressure to either side of each piston with the other side connected to exhaust.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary valve mechanism having a common actuating member for independently or conjointly operating a plurality of valves for admitting pressure to either side of both pistons with the other side connected to exhaust. Hence both the orientation and elevation of the driven member can be controlled by means of the common valve actuator.

Another object of the invention is to reduce (one pair for each hydraulic cylinder to be con.

trolled), a high pressure inlet, and an outlet.

For further details of the invention reference may be made to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of the improved valve mechanism connected to a pair of hydraulic cylinders shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the valve of Fig. 1, with inlet and outlet pipes added thereto, and with a pair of the cylindrical connections and a suitable support shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the broken line G of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4 with the valve stem and valve removed.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, with parts broken away, of one of the double valve units, like the four double valve units shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view with parts broken away, on line 8 8 on Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional vie'w corresponding to Fig.

8. but showing more of the valve and showing the valve in open position.

Fig. 10 is a partial vertical sectional view showing another valve in open position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I provide a unitary valve l for separately or simultaneously admitting high-pressure fluid from the inlet 2 to either side of the two pistons 3 and 3 and with the other side thereof connected to exhaust through the outlet li in the valve l. To this end the valve i, aside from the inlet and outlet connections 2 and E, has two pairs of connections to the cylinders and l, namely connections t and 9 which lead to opposite sides of piston 3 and connections l@ and l I which lead to opposite sides of the piston 3B. I provide a handle i 2 which niay partake of two kinds of movements for independently or simultaneously operating the two pairs of passages @-9, l--I l, and for connecting either passage in such pair to the high-pressure inlet 2, with the other thereof connected to the outlet 5. The manner in which this is accomplished, lwill be more readily apparent in connection with the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6 the valve casing it has a vertical cylindrical bore 38 which extends from the bottom of the casing i9 through the neck i6 where this bore is enlarged as indicated at 39. The bore 38 serves to house the lower end of the double acting cam shaft or actuating member il and it also serves as a well into which the four double reciprocating valves il, t2, t3 and it discharge, the bore or cam well 38 communicating with the f outlet 5 asindicated in Fig. 6. lThe valve casing I9 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 also has in a horizontal plane, two branched passages d5, i6 which connect at one end with the high-pressure inlet 2, and at their other end with the two vertical passages il and t8, the former intersecting the bore 49 in which the valve assembly il is mounted, and the bore 50 in which the valve assembly t2 is mounted, while the passage 66 intersects the bore 5I in which the valve assembly t3 is mounted and the bore 52 in which the valve assembly 46 is mounted. Fluid under pressure in the passage al is thus supplied to either of the two valves tl, l2 while the other thereof is serving to exhaust uid from the low pressure side of the piston 3 which it serves. Passage d8 for a similar purpose supplies fluid under pressure to the valves 63, 5t.

'I'he valve casing i9 is suitably secured to a support indicated at 53 in Fig. 3, by means of bolts 5t passing through suitable apertures 55 at the side of the valve casing i9.

As before stated, the valves 4I-44 are selectively operated in pairs by imparting two kinds of movements to the handle I2. This will now be described in further detail, with lparticular reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

Handle I2 can rotate on its own axis as it is supported in suitable bearings I3 and I4 in a cap 4. As the middle portion of handle I2 is offset to provide a crank l5 (Fig. 5) which is connected through a pitman I6 to the cam shaft I1, the cam shaft I1 is moved up or down when the handle I2 is rotated on its own axis in one direction or the other. Also handle I2, together with cap 4, crank I5, pitman I6 and cam shaft I1 constitute a valve head and are rotatable as a unit about a vertical central axis through valve I and through cam shaft I1, as cap 4 is rotatably carried by the neck I8 of the valve casing I9.

Cap 4 is split on a horizontal plane through handle I2, and its top piece 20 and bottom piece 2l are secured together by bolts 22. The bottom piece 2I of the cap 4 has a cylindrical extension 23 which extends into and concentric with the 4neck I8. Extension 23 has a cylindrical bore 24 in which the cam shaft I1 has a rotary and sliding flt. An intermediate portion of cam shaft I1 is cut away as indicated at 25. Extension 23 has a rotary fit in the cap 26 secured by screw threads 21 to the top of neck I8, and held in position by the lock ring 28. Suitable packing 29 is provided between the top of cap 26 and the extension 23. Between the extension 23 and the neck I8 are arranged two spaced ball-bearings 30 and 3 I. The bottom of cap 26 bears on the ball-bearing 30, which in turn bears on a sleeve 32 which is frictionally held to the outside of extension 33. The bottom of sleeve 32 rests on a lock ring 33 in the outside of extension 23, and the lock ring 33 rests on bearing 3|, while the latter rests on the enlarged upper end 34 of sleeve 35 which has a reduced section 36 fitting in the bore 38 in the valve casing I9. Thus the lock ring 33 and associated parts, prevents lengthwise or axial movement of extension 23 in either direction.

The cam shaft I1 is elongated with the upper end 56 making a rotary and sliding fit in the bore 24, the intermediate portion 51 making a rotary and sliding fit in the extension 23 and in the sleeve 35, and with the lower end 58 making a rotary and sliding fit in sleeve 59. Sleeves 35 and 59 are hardened ground and lapped steel bushings pressed in the bore 38. The bottom of bore 38 may be closed by a felt washer 60 and a cover cap 6I having a small aperture 62 to relieve the air pressure below the lower end 58 of valve stem I1. The intermediate cam shaft portion 51 may have a sealing ring 63 and the lower end 58 may have a sealing ring 64.

The lower end of passage 41 is sealed by a screw plug 65 and the lower end of passage 45 is sealed by a screw plug 66. Bearing in mind that the section in Fig. 4 is taken on a broken line as indicated in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the bore 49 in a horizontal plane is laterally separated namely to the right as seen in Fig. 2, with respect to the bore 50, in order to bring their respective valve assemblies 4I and 42 at different operating positions on the cam 61 which is formed on approximately the left half of the cam shaft I1 between the shaft portions 51 and 58 as seen in Fig. 4. This lateral displacement is also shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The bores 5I and 52 are in vertical alignment so as to bring their respective valve assemblies 43 and 44 in alignment with respect to the right half of the cam 61 where the latter is provided with two oppositely facing conical portions 68 and 69, the axes of these conical portions 88 and 69 being coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cam shaft I1.

Each of the four valve assemblies 4I-44 is of the same construction, and one of them, namely 4I, is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. All of these valve assemblies 4I-44 are parallel, as seen in a vertical plane, and they all extend into the central bore or well 38. The outer end of the bore 49 is threaded as indicated at 10 to receive a valve cage 1I which` can be adjusted lengthwise in the bore 49, it being held in adjusted position by a lock nut 12. Inside of the cage 1I is mounted a hollow tubular double acting reciprocating valve 13 having a piston 14 provided with packing 15. The piston 14 makes a sliding iit with the bore 16 at the right end of the cage 1 I. The tubular valve 13 at its right end is provided with a seat 11 for a ball valve 18 which closes against seat 11 to prevent fluid flow or exhaust through the inside of valve 13 into bore 38 at certain timesy and valve 18 at other times is permitted to move off from its seat 11 to permit the exhaust liquid to flow through valve 13 into well 38 and then out through the outlet 5. Ball valve 18 makes a sliding flt in the bore 16. At the left end of tubular valve 13, there is provided on its exterior, an annular valve face 19 having a slight taper such as 4 or 5, merging inwardly of the valve 13 with another valve face having a greater degree of taper such as 45. The left end of bore 16 is enlarged to provide a valve seat 82 for the valve face 80, and again enlarged to provide a valve seat 8I of larger diameter for the valve face 19. As bore 16 is enlarged at its left end to provide the valve seat 82, and as valve 80 closes this bore 16 at one side of inlet 81, with piston 14 slidable in bore 16 at the other side of inlet 81, the tubular valve 13 is balanced when valve 80 is in closed position on its seat 82.

The tubular valve 13 is, as to the valve faces 19 and 80, urged to closed position by means of the spring 83, the tension of which can be adjusted by the hollow nut 84 screwthreaded in the cage 1I. Intermediate its ends, the tubular valve 13 is provided with a reduced outside diameter as indicated at 85 to provide a space 86 between it and the bore 16 to receive fluid under pressure through one or more apertures 81 in the cage 1I, which communicate with an annular recess 88 on the exterior of cage 1I which communicates with the inlet passage 41. At opposite sides of the passage 41 the cage 1I is provided with packing rings 89 and 90.

When cam 61 is rotated in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 9 to slide ball valve 18 in bore 16 against its seat 11, the tubular valve stem 13 is thereby urged to the left to open the valves 19 and 80, to permit fluid under pressure from inlet 2 and passage 41 to pass around the valve stem 13 and then to the left to connection 8. When cam 68 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, the valves 19 and 80 close while ball valve 18 unseats to permit fluid in connection 8 to discharge into Well 38 and out through outlet 5.

It will now be described how the valve assemblies 4I-44 can be selectively operated in pairs. The cam 61 as indicated in Fig. 8 is convex and eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cam shaft I1, in planes at right angles to that axis while being equally distant from that axis in planes through that axis, with the result that the ball valve 18 for valve assembly 4I and the corresponding ball valve 9| for valve assemasaaoor bly 42 are not operated, or at least their operation. is unaffected by reciprocating non-rotative movement of the cam 61. The left side of camv 61 is symmetrical about the plane of the drawings as shown in Fig. 4, that is, symmetrical about a plane at right angles to the drawings in Fig. 8. Hence with cam 61 in neutral position as shown in Fig. 8, both of the ball valves 18 and 9I are closed against their seats with the parts in the position shown in Fig. '7. As above described, cam 61 may be rocked about its axis in one direction or the other by handle I2 to open one or the other of the poppet valves such as 19 and 80 while keeping its respective ball valve 18 closed and permitting the opening of the other ball valve 9|. When cam shaft I1 is in neutral position as shown in Fig. i, ball valve '92 of valve assembly 43 contacts the center of the conical surface 68 and ball valve 93 of assembly 44 contacts the center of the oppositely facing conical surface 69. As the surfaces 68 and 69 are conical. the ball valves 92 and 93 are not affected by rotation of cam shaft I1, while downward movement of cam shaft I1 urges ball valve 92 to the right as shown in Fig. to unseat its poppet valve 94, while the conical cam surface 69 at this time would permit ball valve 93 to unseat with its respective poppet valve (such as 94) closed.

It will be apparent, therefore, that through rotative movement of cam 61 the double valve assemblies di and d2 as a pair can be operated without operating the valve assemblies 3 and 6, and that rotation of cam 61 in one direction makes connection 8 a supply line and connection 9 an exhaust, While rotation in the other direction makes connection 9 a supply line and connection 8 an exhaust. Also cam 61 may be reciprocated but not rotated without affecting whatever relative positions assemblies 6I and d2 then have, movement in one direction serving to make connection I0 a supply line and II an exhaust, while straight-line movement in the other direction reverses the connections. Also the amount of rotation or longitudinal movement of cam shaft I1 determines the extent of the opening of the poppet valve such as 19, 80 and hence the amount of iiuid under pressure being supplied can be adjusted. Also it is apparent that the cam 61 may have any desired rotary adjustment without disturbing the then existing longitudinal adjustment, and vice versa, or it may have simultaneous rotary and longitudinal adjustments at the same or different rates. 'I'he taper for the valve face 19 being only four or ve degrees, is so slight that it would be likely to jam in the cylindrical portion of its seat 8i, and to prevent this, and also to help seal against flow to the right around the valve stem 'I3 as seen in Fig. 7, I provide the auxiliary valve face 69 with a greater taper such as 45 which has no tendency to jam in its seat. When the valves 19 and 89 are open as shown in Fig. 9, the flow is largely controlled through the restricted opening provided between the valve face 19 and its seat 6I. While Fig. 9 shows the valve 19 and 6D in its fully opened position, if desired I may have this valve open to an extent so that valve face 80 would come opposite the other seat 8i so that the supply would rst increase at a low rate, and then at a greater rate. In any event, the construction is simplified by putting the restrictor 19-8I at the outer end of the tubular valve 13.

a double valve,

This application is a division of S. N. 461.859, filed October 13, 1942 for Valve."

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a casing having passages and four reciprocating valves therefor, each having an operating member, a double cam for said valves, said cam having` on one side thereof a cam surface which is eccentric with the axis of said cam in planes at right angles to that axis while being equally distant from that axis in planes through that axis, said cam having on the other side thereof a pair of oppositely facing conical cam surfaces coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said cam, means supporting two of said operating members laterally separated on said eccentric cam surface, means supporting said other two operating members longitudinally separated along said cam with each thereof on one of said conical surfaces, and means supporting said cam for movements around and lengthwise of its axis.

2. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet, an outlet and four passages each having a similar double valve of reciprocating type movable to positions to alternately supply and exhaust, passages connecting one of said double valves to said inlet, Passages connecting the other valve of said double valves to said outlet, and a double cam for selectivity operating said double valves in pairs, with either double valve of a pair acting to supply and the other double valve of that pair acting to exhaust; said cam having on one side thereof a cam surface which is eccentric with the axis of said cam in planes at right angles to that axis while being equally distant from that axis in planes through that axis, said cam having on the other side thereof a pair of oppositely facing conical cam surfaces coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said cam, means supporting two of said double valves laterally separated on and in operative relation with said eccentric cam surface, means supporting said other two double valves longitudinally separated along said cam with each thereof in operative relation with one of said conical surfaces, and means supporting said cam for movements around and lengthwise of its axis.

3. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet, and an outlet, a pair of passages each having passages connecting one member of said double valves to said inlet and other passages connecting the other member of said double valves to said outlet, and a common actuating member for said valves, said actuating member having for one of said valves a cam surface which is eccentric with the axis of said actuating member in planes at right angles to that axis while being equally distant from that axis in planes through that axis, said actuating member having for the other valve a conical cam surface coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said actuating member, and means Supporting said actuating member for movements around and lengthwise of said axis. f

4. A valve comprising a casing having a cam well, a-double cam in said well, means supporting said cam for rotary movement, means supporting said cam for longitudinal movement, avalve for said well controlled by longitudinal movement of said cam but not by rotary movement thereof, and another ivalve for said well controlled by 4 Y rotary movement of said cam but not by' longitudinal movement thereof. Y v

5. A valve comprising a casing having a well, a reciprocating 'valve opening into said well at opposite sides thereof, a valve stem having a radial cam individual to one of said valves and having a longitudinal cam individual to said other valve whereby either of said valves may be operated without operating the other valve, and meanssupporting said valve stem for movements around and lengthwise of its axis.

6. A valve comprising a casing having a well, a pair of double acting reciprocating valves opening into said well on one side thereof and a second pair of double acting reciprocating valves opening Ainto said well on the other side thereof, a valve stem in said well having two oppositely extending radial cam portions one of which is individual to each of the valves of one of said pairs, said valve stem also having oppositely extending longitudinal cam portions one of which is individual to each of the valves of said second pair, and means for reciprocatingv and rotating said valve stem. f

7. A valve comprising a casing having a cam well, a double cam in said well, means supporting said cam for rotary movement, means supporting said cam for longitudinal movement, a valve for said well controlled by longitudinal movement of said cam but not rotary movement thereof, and another valve for said Well controlled by rotary movement of said cam but not by longitudinal movement thereof, each of said valves comprising a poppet valve.

8. A valve comprising a casing having a cam well, a double cam in said well, means supporting said cam for rotary movement, means supporting said cam for longitudinal' movement, a valve for said well controlled by longitudinal movement of said cam but not by rotary movement thereof, and another valve for said well controlled by rotary movement of said cam but not by longitudinal movement thereof, and each of movement of said cam but not by rotary movement thereof, and another valve for said well controlled by rotary movement of said cam but not by longitudinal movement thereof, each of said valves comprising a valve cage, a tubular member heaving a piston slidable in each of said cages, each of said tubular members having at one end thereof a valve head, and having a valve seat at the other end thereof, each of said cages having a seat for its respective said valve head and having a ball valve slidable therein and adapted to seat, on the valve seat of said other end of said tubular member, said cam comprising means for operating each of said ball valves to thereby reciprocate its respective said tubular member and open the corresponding said valve head, each of said cages having spring means for closing its said valve head.

10. Valve mechanism comprising a valve casing, a valve stem, means supporting said valve stem for rotatable and slidable movements in said casing, a handle for imparting both rotary and sliding movements to said valve stem, a plurality of similar reciprocating valve means, means supporting each of said valve means for reciprocation on an axis at right angles to said valve stem, cam means on said valve stem for actuating certain of said reciprocating valve means by rotary movement of said valve stem, and other cam means on said valve stem for actuating another of said reciprocating valve means by sliding movement of said valve stem.

J. D. BUCHANAN. 

